Disengageable worm gearing



April 4, 1950 1 E. N. ANKETELL 2,503,146

' DISENGAGEABLE WORM GEARING v Filed Sept. 15, 1944 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 sa a 3 74 50 9/ 74 I A? I I 76 all: 35

v mllllllllllll' I 1/75 +1 i i 9a a I-l 94 I I INVENTOR 6M ATTORNEY E. N. ANKETELL DISENGAGEABLE WORM GEARING April 4, 1950 2 sheets sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1944 IEVENTOR GMYLW I BY I 1* ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 4, 1950 DISENGAGEABLE WORM GEARING Edward N. Anketell, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The A. 0. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Maryland Application September 15, 19/14, Serial No. 554,288

4 Claims.

This invention relates to power driven cable reeling apparatus particularly for motivating toys of many types including toy crane apparatus such as isdisclosed in a copending application, Serial No.407,769, filed August 21, 1941 which eventu ated in U. S. Patent No. 2,373,271 April 10, 1945.

Thegeneral object of the improvements herein claimed is to provide an electrically controlled and/or electrically powered prime mover for automatically pulling upon and releasing a flex ible toy operating cable or cord at different desired times.

A further object is to incorporate a power disconnect clutch which shall operate automatically to prevent slippage between the disconnect able clutch members Whether running or idle when the same are operatively engaged.

A still further object is to combine a slippable clutch and a non-slippable or toothed clutch in mechanical series relation in the power transmission from a motor to a load operating winch reel driven thereby for permitting without damage the overrunning of the power motor when rotation of the driven reel is checked and for diminishing shock and consequent breakage or excessive wear of the toothed clutch when the latter is engaged or disengaged under load.

-Another object is to operate the power disconnect clutch by an electromagnet of simple and low cost construction suitable for a toy.

Another object is separately to control electrically, and preferably from a remote point, the energization of the power motor and the energization'of the clutch shifting electromagnet.

Particulars concerning the foregoing and other objectives will appear in greater detail from the following description of preferred forms of the invention in which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a fragmentary portion of certain crane apparatus which may serve as framework for one form of power operated toy winch incorporating the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view looking from the left at Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view taken in section on the plane 33 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1

showing a modification of the winch motivating l Fig. 8 is a diagram of electrical connections.

- A toy crane apparatus suitable to be powered by an electrically controlled toy winch mechanism incorporating the present improvements may include an elevated inclined runway l2 supported at its low end by structure disclosed more fully in the aforesaid copending application and supported at its high end by a standard 2|. Such structure together with the said standard 2i upstands from a common base l8 which may be formed by a horizontal rectangular skeleton framework of sheet metal. The inclined runway |2 incorporates laterally spaced rails 26 on which rides a crane trolley 24 more fully dis-,.

closed in the aforesaid, copending application and which has four traction wheels 25. further includes a body frame which gives bearing to cross shafts, as l3, for the traction wheels. A flexible cord or cable-like element 33' for haul ing trolley 24 up the incline is tied. to the trolley and extends up the runway and passes over a pulley 39 rotatable on shaft 4'! which is supported at a high point on standard 2|. This standard may be hollow and composed of spaced side walls flanking opposite sides of pulley 39. Cord 33' after passingover pulley 39 extends down ward and is attached to friction rotated spool 90 in a manner to be wound up on the latter and played ofl therefromwhen spool 90 rotates in respectively opposite directions.

An electric motor 18 is mounted on frame bracket 15 secured to base [8 by rivets 14 having a shaft worm 11 adapted to serve as prime mover. A helical gear or worm wheel 18 fixed on a longitudinally slidable winch shaft 19 can be shifted into and out ofv mesh with worm TI and thereby serves as a power transmission. clutch,,capab1e of establishing or disconnecting power drive from motor 16 to a winch shaft l9. This shaft is freely rotatably and slidable lengthwise in bearings in the spaced frame brackets and 8|. On the left end of shaft 19in Fig. 3 there is shown to be fixedly carried a magnetic plunger 82 which is free to rotate and slide axially in the hollow core of solenoid 83. A coiled spring 84 is lengthwise under compression between gear 18 and bracket BI) and constantly urges shaft 19 toward the right in Figs. 2 and 3. Solenoid 83 is fixedly supported on a frame bracket 85 which is removably secured to base [8 by a screw 86 and has the left end of its core cavity plugged by the stop stud 88. Stud 88 allows a predetermined extent of movement for plunger 82 toward the left in Fig. 3 when solenoid 83 is electrically energized and draws shaft 19 toward the left against the yielding resistance of spring 84-. This movement of shaft 19 throws gear 78 into mesh with worm H as shown in Fig. 2. A shoulder 89 at the junction of shaft 18 and plungerBZ abuts against bracket 80 and limits spring urged moveto its position shown in Fig.

Trolley 2 $v Between gear I8 and bearing bracket BI the aforesaid. winding spool 90 is rotatable relative thereto on'shaft I9. A friction washer 9i separates spool 90 from gear I8 and constantly urges the former toward the right in Figs. 2 and 3 and against a thrust collar 92 fixed to shaft 13 by set screw 93. Thus spool 90 is caused to be rotated yieldably by shaft I9 in either direction but slippage can always take place betweenthis spool and shaft when the load on the spool becomes excessive.

The wiring diagram of Fig. 8 indicates that motor I6 andsolenoid 83 may be connected electrically in shunt relationship to supply lines 94 and 95 through a common circuit making and breaking switch 96 which may be located at any convenientpoint remote from the toy. If desired switch 98 can be located near the usual electrical controller or controllers (not shown) which serve to make or break the circuit or circuits that feed the track rails of an electrified toy railroad shown in the aforesaid copending ap plication.

Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, show a different form of electrically controlled, application of power for winding up the hauling. cord 33 and playing it off as desired. In this modification, the winch shaft I110 is freely rotatable and freely slidable lengthwise in spaced arms IIII and I92 of bearing bracket I03 which bracketis fixedly mounted on base [8 by screws and nuts 184. Electric motor I05 also is mounted on bracket I03 and the latter affords bearing for a worm ms axially aligned with and rotated by motor shaft I'll. A helical or worm gear I08, similar togear I8, is made. fast to. winch shaft I by means of its hub I89 and set screw I I8. Spring III is. coiled loosely about shaft Inland is constantly under axial compression between bracket arm IIlI and gear hub I09 thus acting constantly to urge gear I08 and shaft I01 toward the right in Figs. and 6. A thrust collar H2 is made fast to winch shaft III! by means of set screw H3. The limit of movement of collar H2 and shaft I01 toward the right is determined by theswayable electromagnetic armature bar H4 which intervenes between collar H2 and bracket, arm- I02. This armature bar, has an elongated aperture [I5 in its upper end permitting said end to have tilt permitting play relative to shaft I01. Thus shaft II'II passes freely through the armature bar and this bar is in effect somewhat. loosely suspended from the shaft. The bottom end of armature bar H4 is slidably fulcrumed orloosely anchored in an aperture H6. in the base I8 so that a mean section of the l ngth of bar I I4. comes within the magnetic field of the projecting core plug II! of a solenoid H8 mounted by means of screw I22 on stationary frame bracket H9. Thisbracket is secured to base I8 by screws I20 and may have a cutout IZI registering with aperture H5 to assist in providinga rugged pivotal anchorage for the lower end of armature bar Ild as best shown in Fig. 6. A stop collar I23 fixed on the extreme right end of winch shaft I08 by means of set screw I24 in Fig. 5 acts as a stop to limit the lengthwise movement ofthis shaft toward the left to a position wherein gear N38 is in mesh with worm I06.

Just as in Figs. 1 to 3, there is mounted on shaft In between gear H38 and thrust collar IIZ, a winding spool 90 which for emergency purposes is slippably rotatable with respect to shaft I00 by-means of a friction washer SI which separates spoolIlII-from gear I08 and constantly urges spool 90 toward the right in -Figs. 5 and 6- and against thrust collar II 2. Cord 33', after passing over pulley 39, extends downward and is attached to friction driven spool 9B in a manner to be wound up on and played off from the latter by rotation thereof in respectively opposite directions.

The same scheme of electrical connections as isindicated in Fig. 8 may be employed for the apparatus of Figs. 4 to 1, motor I05 taking the place of motor I6 and solenoid [I8 taking the place of solenoid 83.

Referring to Fig. 8, in operating the crane and derrick apparatus by electrically controlled application of the power of electric motor I6, a remotely located switch 96 may be closed to begin the. action. This simultaneously energizes motor I6 and the solenoid 83 resulting in worm 'II rotating at full speed and gear I8 being shifted toward the left from its position in Fig. 3 to its position in Fig. 2 as solenoid 83 draws magnetic plunger82 further into its magnetic field against the resistance of spring 84. The helical teeth on gear I8 freely slide into mesh with the teeth of worm 'II even if the latter be rotating at high speed. As shaft 79 is drawn lengthwise toward the left in Fig. 3 the left extremity of plunger 82 encounters the stationary magnetic core plug 88 and rotates while remaining in contact therewith.

Friction between plunger 82 and plug 88 is practically eliminated by cone-pointing the contacting end of plunger 82 as shown in Fig. 3. Gear I8 is now rotated clockwise in Fig. 1 at a reasonably slow speed whereby spool 90, yieldably impelled through the friction set up by washer 9|, winds upon itself the cord 33'. At any point in the journey of trolley 24 up the runway, cord 33 may at will instantly be freed and permitted to play out as fast as the slack can be taken up by the coasting of trolley 24 down the runway. Thisis accomplished by merely opening switch 96 which instantly deenergizes solenoid 83 and permitsspring 85 to shift gear 18 toward the right from its position in Fig. 2 to its position in Fig. 3. Thus the power drive is broken between gear I8 and worm 'II, the latter immediately ceasing to rotate because motor 16 becomes deprived of current at the same time.

While spool becomes free to rotate counterclockwise in Fig. 1 whenever switch 96 is opened so that this spool BI) plays off the cord 33' asfast as trolley 24 coasts down the runway I2, it will be understood. that the frictional force due to spring 9|, by means of which shaft I9 impels spool 90, is sufficiently great to pull trolley 24 up the runway I2 and hence is sufliciently great at all times to prevent trolley 24 from coasting down runway I2 unless shaft I9 is made free to turn by opening switch 96. If it is desired to hold the trolley stationary at a point up the runway, another switch 98 may be interposed in the circuit between solenoid 83 and motor I8 as indicated in Fig. 8 so that the motor may be stopped, if desired, without deenergizing solenoid 83. This will leave gear I8 locked stationary in mesh with non-rotating worm II. Thereafter at will, the mere opening of switch 96 will disengage gear I8 from worm TI and permit the trolley to coast down hill.

When in the motor impelled travel of trolley 24 up the runway I2, the trolley becomes arrested at the top of the incline because of encountering the upright wall of standard 2I, the motor can continue to run, and worm TI and gear I8 can continue to rotate, spool 90 standing still because unable to further wind up on cord 33' and slippage thereupon taking place between shaft I9 and-spool 90. In this stalled condition of the trolley, the moment switch 98 is opened the motor will stop running and the trolley will be uneflected because gear 18 will remain interlocked with the non rotating worm 11. But the moment switch 96 is opened, gear 18, shaft 18 and spool 90 all in unison, become free to rotate and then the trolley coasts down the runway.

In Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, the closing of switch 96 of Fig. 8 will be understood to energize motor I05 and solenoid H8 simultaneously which will immediately start worm I06 rotating and cause the electromagnetic core I l! to attract the armature I I4 forcing the latter to swing from its position in Fig. 6 to its position in Fig. 5. This causes gear 108 to pass into mesh with worm I06 whether or not the latter is rotating and the stop collar I23 limits the travel of gear I08 toward the left to a proper position of mesh with the worm. Upon opening switch 96, spring I'll restores the parts to their positions in Fig. 6 disengaging gear I08 from worm I06. The axial distance between collar H2 and gear I0 8 may be the same as between collar 92 and gear 18 in Fig. 3 so that the same spool 90 and friction washer 9| may be employed as in the form of the power mechanism disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3.

The framework of the log loading apparatus may be embellished with suitable structural shape and surface coloring to imitate the appearance of an actual building, with its towers, platforms, etc. commonly seen in logging camps thereby to enhance the realism of the toy. As an example, the tower house 91 is represented atop the column 2-! and concealing the pulley 39 so .as to give the visual impression that all of the power mechanism is contained within the imitative house structure 91.

Many modifications of the particular forms and arrangement of parts herein disclosed to illustrate the invention will be suggested by this disclosure to workers in the art and the appended claims are directed to and intended to cover all fair equivalents and commonly known substitutes for any of the particular constructions and relationships of parts herein disclosed which fall within the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language.

I claim:

1. In a toy mechanism for transmitting power to a toy load, the combination of, a rotor adapted to motivate the toy load, a toy frame structure, a shaft carrying said rotor journaled for rotary and axial sliding movement in said frame, a gear wheel fixed on said shaft, a power worm, at least one electr c-magnet, an armature bar suspended from said shaft in a manner to permit tilting of said bar relative to said shaft, an abutment on said shaft engageable by said armature bar for moving the shaft lengthwise to shift said gear wheel into mesh with said worm, and means affording a fulcrum for said bar at a, distance from said shaft said bar being swingable about said fulcrum in the magnetic field of said solenoid thereby to be impelled magnetically for urging said shaft in an axial direction.

2. In a toy mechanism for transmitting power to a toy load, the combination of, a rotor adapted to motivate the toy load, a toy frame structure, a rotary shaft carrying said rotor journaled in said frame in a manner permitting said shaft to slide axially relative to said frame, a gear wheel fixed on said shaft, a power driven worm, actuating means including a spring and an electric solenoid for shifting said gear wheel in unison with said shaft into and out of mesh with said worm, a magnetically attractable plunger rigid with said shaft movable in unison with the shifting movement of the shaft in directions toward and away from the magnetic field of said solenoid, and a frame bearing giving rotary support to said shaft between said plunger and said gear wheel.

3. An electrically controlled power transmission for toys, comprising toy framework, a powered driving gear rotatably supported on said framework, spaced bearings stationed on said framework, a rotary shaft journaled to slide axially through said bearings spanning the space therebetween, a driven gear fixed on said shaft for axial movement in said space into and out of mesh with said driving gear, a toy motivating rotor relatively loose on said shaft in said space, clutch means in said space frictionally coupling said rotor to said driven gear, a magnetically attractable armature carried by said shaft extending outside said space, and a solenoid stationed outside said space on said framework in position to generate a magnetic field operative to motivate said armature and shaft in a manner to mesh and unmesh said gears.

4. An electrically controlled power transmission for toys, comprising toy framework, a powered driving gear rotatably supported on said framework, spaced bearings stationed on said framework, a rotary shaft journaled to slide axially through said bearings spanning the space therebetween, a driven gear fixed on said shaft for axial movement in said space into and out of mesh with said driving gear, a toy motivating rotor relatively loose on said shaft in said space, clutch means in said space frictionally coupling said rotor to said driven gear, a magnetically attractable armature carried by said shaft extending outside said space, and a solenoid stationed outside said space on said framework in position to generate a magnetic field operative to motivate said armature and shaft in a manner to mesh and unmesh said gears, together with a spring between said gear and one of said bearings biasing said shaft away from the last said bearing.

EDWARD N. ANKETELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 899,088 Weichelt Sept. 22, 1908 985,699 Pearson et al Feb. 28, 1911 1,193,089 Wagner et a1 Aug. 1, 1916 1,424,027 Murphy July 25, 1922 1,623,021 Smaltz Mar. 29, 1927 1,837,974 Lillard et a1 Dec. 22, 1931 1,939,405 Nardone Dec. 12, 1933 2,343,684 Mace Mar. 7, 1944 2,373,271 Smith Apr. 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 209,916 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1924 

